Cattle-alining device.



AIW. KNUTSON.

CATTLE ALINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED JULY I8. l9l6.

1,214,178. Patented Jan. 30,1917.

WITNESS l/VVE/VTOR A TTOR/VE V WITFQE STATES PATENT FFIQE.

ALFRED W. KNUTSON, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROWE MANUFACTURING 00., OF GALESBUBG, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CATTLE-ALINING DEVICE.

Application filed July 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED IV. KNUT- son, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Cattle-Alining Device, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that class of devices used in cattle-barns for the purpose of keeping in substantial alinement the rear end portions of a number of cattle kept in a row of stalls, in order that their excrements may fall into the usual gutter provided for receiving them.

The alining device shown and herein described may, it will be evident, be used at either the top or the bottom of the stanchion, but it is shown and is primarily purposed for use at the bottom, for the following reasons, to-wit: It is desired that while the cow secured in the stanchion is in a standing position, the lower end of the stanchion have free play laterally, in order that she may card herself, may reach to one side for food, etc., and that the stanchion have but a limited forwardand-back move- 1nentonly sufiicient, in fact, to relieve the strain as she arises from a recumbent or a kneeling position.

To provide a cattle-alining device possessing those features constitutes a main object of the invention.

To provide novel structural features is another object.

To provide novel combinations of elements is a further object.

In order that the invention may be fully understood I have appended hereto a sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side (or edge) elevation of a mounted stanchion with which my improvements are incorporated; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the same elements; Fig. 3, an en larged top plan detail of the principal features of my improvements; and Fig. 1, a front elevation, also enlarged, and partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to each element and, where necessary, to each part thereof, by a distinguishing numeral, uniformly employed, and considering said drawings in detail, 2 indicates the curb and 3 the transverse supportingrail of a well known type of cattle-stall.

4:, 4' designate stanchion-arms; 5, 5 armconnectors; 69. pivot pin; 7, 7 the members Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

Serial No. 109,902.

of a type of a locking stanchion-head disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 108,211 filed July 8, 1916; and 8, 8, members of a cattle-alining or stanchionadjusting device disclosed in my co -pending application Serial No. 108,559 filed July 11, 1916; and 9, 9 top and bottom members respectively of a clip also disclosed in the last noted application.

Inasmuch as no specific claim is or will be made herein to any of the foregoing recited devices, and inasmuch as the operation of the present improvements does not depend upon the specific physical characteristics or the structural peculiarities of any of said devices, it is needless to herein describe them in detail.

10, 10 indicate stanchion-adjusting links provided with a series of openings 11, 11 respectively. The link 10 is provided with an annular recess or pocket 12 and with an aperture 13 in which seat the stem and conical foot 14; of a swivel-rivet 15. The link 10 is provided with an annular boss 16 adapted to rotate in the recess 12, and with an-opening 17 for the passage of the swivel 15. In its upper face is a recess or pocket 18 in which seats an annular boss 19 projecting downward from the bottom or base 20 of a chain-yoke 21 the branches of which are preferably divergent and each of which constitutes an eye 22, 22. Each link 10 or 10 is secured to the curb 2 in the usual manner by screws or other suitable means 23, and may be arranged and secured thereto with their meeting point either in front or in rear thereof, or, if necessary, the links be arranged in line with each other and with the curb.

Secured at 2 1, 24L to the stanchion-arm connectors 5, 5 respectively are the end links of a chain which though it is continuous I shall for the purposes of this specification describe as having end portions 25 and a central portion 26, the latter being that which lies between the branches of the yoke when the stanchion is hanging free, as indi cated by the full lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

The operation: Should an animal whose neck is confined between the stanchion arms 5, 5 swing her head to one side the chain will be moved either to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 or to the contrary one, free play of the chain in the yoke being allowed. Should the animal swing her head in such manner as to rotate the stanchion the yoke will swivel or pivot on the bolt 15. Should the animal lunge against the stanchion (as, for instance, in lying down or in arising) the lower end thereof is free to move forward or back, but only a short distance, for the portion 26 of the chain is not used during either of said movements and the stanchion can move for ward or back only a distance less than the length of each chain-portion 25, owing to the angular arrangement thereof between its respective ends and the adjacent branches of the yoke. The rearward movement of the lower end of the stanchion is illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the nature of my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following, towit:

1. In a device of the nature described, a yoke having opposed, spaced eyes, a chain passing through said eyes, whereby to connect it with a stanchion.

2. In a device of the nature described, a swiveled yoke having spaced eyes, a chain passing through said eyes whereby to connect it with a stanchion, and stanchion-adjusting means for supporting the yoke.

3. In a device of the nature described, a swiveled yoke, a stanchion, and a chain passed loosely through eyes in the yoke, its ends connected with the stanchion.

4. In a device of the nature described, a stanchion, a swiveled yoke, a chain passing loosely through it, the ends of the chain connected to the respective sides of the stanchion, and a pair of links adapted to support the yoke in different positions.

5. The combination with a stall-curb and a stanchion-supporting rail, of a stanchion supported from said rail, a pair of links securable to said curb and adapted to be placed in different divergent positions thereon, a. yoke connected with said links and having spaced eyes, and a chain passed through said eyes, its ends secured to the respective sides of the stanchion.

6. The combination with a stall-curb and a stanchion-supporting rail, of a stanchion supported from said rail, a pair of links securable to said curb and adapted to be placed in difi'erent divergent positions thereon, a yoke swiveled to said links and having spaced eyes, and a chain passed through said eyes, its ends secured to the respective sides of the stanchion.

7. In a device of the character described, a pair of adjusting-links, means for pivotally connecting adjacent ends thereof,

means whereby their bodies may be arranged in different positions relatively to each other, a yoke pivotally mounted at the pivotal point of the adjusting means, a stanchion, and a chain secured thereto, its flight passing loosely through both branches of the yoke.

8. In a device of the character described, a pair of adjusting-links, means for pivotally connecting adjacent ends thereof, means whereby their bodies may be arranged in different positions relatively to each other, a yoke pivotally mounted at the pivotal point of the adjusting means, said yoke having spaced branches, and a chain passed through said branches, its ends connected with opposite sides of the stanchion.

9. In a device of the character described, a stanchion-adjusting link having an annular recess in its upper face and near one of its ends, a stanchion-adjusting link having a boss rotatably mounted in said recess, a yoke mounted on the upper face of the last recited link, and means for pivotally connecting said links, through said recess and boss, with said yoke.

10. In a device of-the character described, a stanchion-adjusting link having an annular recess in its upper face and near one of its ends, a stanchion-adjusting link having a boss rotatably mounted in said recess and having in its upper face an annular recess, a double-eyed yoke having a boss seated in the last recited recess, and means for pivotally connecting said links with said yoke.

11.v In combination, a stanchion, a yoke having spaced eyes, and a chain passing loosely through said eyes, its terminals secured to the stanchion.

12. In stall equipment, and in combination, a stanchion, a yoke having spaced eyes, means for adjusting the yoke forwardly and back relatively of the stall, and

a chain passing loosely through said eyes,

its terminals secured to the stanchion.

13. In a device of the nature described, a yoke having eyes, a stanchion, and an element passing through said eyes, its ends connected with the stanchion.

14. In a device of the nature described, a swiveled yoke having eyes, a stanchion, and an element passing through said eyes, its ends connected with said stanchion.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereto aiiix my signature this 12th day of July, 1916.

ALFRED W. KNUTSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

